Saturday, August 27, 2005
Top Official Urged Change in How Parks Are Managed
Paul Hoffman
Department of the Interior
via e-mail: Paul_Hoffman@ios.doi.gov
Dear Mr. Hoffman,
I recently read of your proposed revisions to the National Park Service's basic policy document. Among them was the elimination of this phrase:
"the service will strive to preserve or restore the natural quiet and
natural sounds associated with the physical and biological resources
of the parks."
I'm aware that your revisions were rejected by a panel of senior employees in favor of less significant amendations. I hope that if new revisions are proposed you will consider leaving that phrase intact.
A substantial amount of research has been done demonstrating the impact of industrial and urban noise on the environment, our psychological well-being, and the wildlife habitat. It is obvious that, since we live in an industrialized society, our urban and suburban environments will always be compromised to a degree.
Especially because of that compromise, there is a real value to protecting the acoustic environment of our national parks. By doing so we provide a place for people to experience the type of natural world and silence that is lost nearly everywhere else.
The natural park service was created to "conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." In keeping with that principle, I urge you to consider keeping language in the basic policy document preserving the natural quiet and natural sounds of our national parks.
Alex Keller
(address)
More information about acoustic ecology can be found at
World Forum for Acoustic Ecology
http://interact.uoregon.edu/MediaLit/WFAE/home/index.html
American Society for Acoustic Ecology (the new US Chapter of the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology)
http://www.acousticecology.org/asae/
Department of the Interior
via e-mail: Paul_Hoffman@ios.doi.gov
Dear Mr. Hoffman,
I recently read of your proposed revisions to the National Park Service's basic policy document. Among them was the elimination of this phrase:
"the service will strive to preserve or restore the natural quiet and
natural sounds associated with the physical and biological resources
of the parks."
I'm aware that your revisions were rejected by a panel of senior employees in favor of less significant amendations. I hope that if new revisions are proposed you will consider leaving that phrase intact.
A substantial amount of research has been done demonstrating the impact of industrial and urban noise on the environment, our psychological well-being, and the wildlife habitat. It is obvious that, since we live in an industrialized society, our urban and suburban environments will always be compromised to a degree.
Especially because of that compromise, there is a real value to protecting the acoustic environment of our national parks. By doing so we provide a place for people to experience the type of natural world and silence that is lost nearly everywhere else.
The natural park service was created to "conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." In keeping with that principle, I urge you to consider keeping language in the basic policy document preserving the natural quiet and natural sounds of our national parks.
Alex Keller
(address)
More information about acoustic ecology can be found at
World Forum for Acoustic Ecology
http://interact.uoregon.edu/MediaLit/WFAE/home/index.html
American Society for Acoustic Ecology (the new US Chapter of the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology)
http://www.acousticecology.org/asae/
